As The Sunset Ends
by WishICared
Summary: Kisa Amane is moving to the US and is not very happy about. What happens when she says that final good-bye to her friends and japan?
1. Chapter 1

"Kisa-San!" a high pitched voiced yelled from behind me.

Turning around, I searched for my best friend, Inoue Nami, whom owned that voice; then, I spotted her, running as quickly as she could with her long, skinny legs and her high school uniform flapping each time she made a stride closer to me. Watching, I stopped in my tracks and continued to look her way with a small smile coming unto my lips. My arms were at my sides and my backpack over my right shoulder about to fall to the dirty, old cement that my feet stood on. A slight breeze blew my thin, chocolate brown hair out of my face to show my nearly black eyes and Asian tinted skin. My eyes are outlined by heavy, thick, long eyelashes and my eyebrows thin and proportioned to shape my face. My lips are thick and my body is too thin, short, and wiry.

Nami was nearly ten feet close to me, and still running at full speed, reaching me in less than a second. Her long, curly, dyed blond hair was flapping against the small of her back in the wind. She stopped beside me on my left and stood straight up, making me feel shorter than ever. Her face is heart shaped and paler than the average Japanese. She has short side bangs that set perfectly on the left side of her face and her muddy brown eyes bring out her face and light colored eye brows and eye lashes. Nami looked down at me and smiled with her thin, tan colored glossed lips and white, straight teeth.

"You shouldn't over due yourself so early in the morning," I said in a motherly tone.

"Over doing myself like that gets me awake and alert in the morning," Nami excused.

"Really?" I asked, turning in the direction I was walking before she called me and beginning to walk with her right by my side, "That just gets me tired and exhausted."

"Well, you never were the kind for sports and such," Nami replied.

"You got that right. I've never been able to run for two minutes of my life," I said, nodding in agreement, but not looking at her.

"You say you want to be a secret agent for the FBI, but if running is your only escape, you're dead," Nami said with a small laugh. I laughed also at the joke that was said many of times.

"No kidding," I said, smiling and then continuing, "I don't know how you can do that stuff though."

"I've always played sports and ran a lot," Nami began, "Nothing changes when you get older. It's just in my genes."

"Must be," I said, "I wonder how they run and play sports in America." I frowned and looked down at my feet as I walked.

"Don't be sad about moving to America," Nami cheered and patted my back twice, "You'll like it, I'm sure of it. My cousin, Rika-Senpai, said that she loved it. And that it was a great experience for her."

"But Rika-Senpai went as an exchange student. The Americans probably sweetened everything up to make them look good. I'm going to live there and become a citizen," I said in a sorrowful tone.

"Don't be like that," Nami told me, "You have to look positive."

I looked straight ahead of me and wiped my left eye of a possible tear, "Says the one who won't be moving to a different continent tomorrow."

"It's hard for me too. I'm going to have to say good-bye to one of my bestiest friends ever," Nami exclaimed.

"Yeah, but you're not giving up schools, teachers, and things like that," I said in a sad tone.

"Hey, you'll find some new teachers that are cool. Who knows? The schools there may let you skip out on Physical Education. And the kids my be cool, I'm sure they won't be like aliens," she said in a happy voice, attempting to cheer me up and epically failing.

"Americans hate anime," I said.

"Some Americans love anime. Especially Naruto. It's the biggest anime now," Nami said.

"Yeah, sure," I said in an unbelievable tone.

"Don't act so negative. You leave the day after tomorrow. We're going to ditch school tomorrow for you, so enjoy yourself," Nami replied.

I pondered over this for a moment, knowing that Nami was not going to give up with her cheer speech.

"Fine," I said in a tone of epic fail.

"Good," Nami said in a voice of victory, "Now let's forget about America for a moment and talk about something else."

"You just said America again," I reminded her.

"Excuse me. You just said it," Nami exclaimed.

"You said it first," I replied.

"Well, never mind then," Nami finally said, "Let's think about something else."

"Hmm… Like what?" I asked.

"I don't know," Nami admitted, "Let's think."

"Thinking isn't one of my priorities at this point," I said.

"Hmm…" Nami thought out loud with her right index finder at her mouth.

I was so deeply out of thought that I didn't notice the footsteps behind me until a finder touched the back of my neck. Quickly, I jumped in a 180 spin and saw one of my other best friends, Sota Ryuichi, with a smirk on his face. Ryuichi is short-but not as short as me- and very muscular. He has black, short, pointed hair and almost black eyes with thick eyebrows and eyelashes. His skin has an Asian tint and soft glow.

"Ryuichi-Kun!" I gasped.

"Oh, Kisa-San, you're so easy to scare and sneak upon. And you say that you want to be a secret agent for the FBI," Ryuichi said with a laugh from me and Nami, who turned around to face Ryuichi.

"Will you both be quiet about that?" I asked

"But it's true, Kisa-San," Nami said with a smile and a nod.

"So how is my lovely Nami-Chan?" Ryuichi asked.

"I am not 'Chan'. I am a 'San'. And I am not your lovely. For your safely, I shall let you know, that I do have a boyfriend named Katsuya-Senpai," Nami said coldly, crossing her arms and glaring at Ryuichi intensely.

"So intense. My kind of girl," Ryuichi muttered.

"What was that?!" Nami asked, leaning closer to him with anger in her eyes and voice.

"Oh, nothing," Ryuichi lied in a sing-like voice.

"It sounded like something!" Nami accused.

"Did you ever know how lovely your eyes gleam when you are angry?" Ryuichi asked innocently.

Nami leaned back to her original position and continued to glare. She stuck her tongue out at him and turned away saying, "Hmph!"

"Sticking out your tongue? I didn't know that high school girls did that," Ryuichi said.

"You're within punching range," Nami said in a threatening tone of voice.

"Don't be that way, my dear," Ryuichi said, leaving against his bike that he was holding up by his hands. Accidentally, he leaned too far and fell over on top or his bike.

Nami looked down at him and began to laugh quietly.

I smiled and looked down at his shocked and embarrassed face.

Quickly, Ryuichi got to his feet and pulled his bike up. He stood up as if nothing had happened and smiled, "I fall off my bike. It's quite a hobby."

"Yeah, it looks like a pain of fun," I said sarcastically, looking out at the street of passing cars and pedestrians. I spotted my other best friend, Saito Hiroki, riding his bike at full speed on the edge of the sidewalk.

"Hiroki-Kun!" I yelled, waving.

Nami and Ryuichi looked to where my gaze and wave lead to and saw where Hiroki was and did the same as I.

Hiroki looked back at us and smiled widely, not paying attention to where he was going. As his right hand was up and about to wave to us, his bike hit a parked car and stopped abruptly, making him flip over his handlebars and crash unto the front of the car and role off onto the street flat on his stomach with his bike falling onto his bike.

My eyes flew wide open as I gasped, unable to recognize the reactions of my two friends next to me. I ran across the street, ignoring the honks of the horns and yelling of the drivers. I heard Nami and Ryuichi's footsteps trailing behind me. Once I approached Hiroki, I threw the bike off of his body and out into the middle of the street, causing more horns and angry voices arise. Not caring, I got on my knees and turned Hiroki over as Nami crouched to my left and Ryuichi sit on one knee on my right.

"Is he okay?" Nami asked.

Looking at his face, luckily, I saw a minor cut on his forehead and several minor cuts on his palms and said, "He doesn't look to bad considering that crash."

"So against crash rules," Ryuichi murmured.

Ignoring his comment, I said to Hiroki, "Are you okay, Hiro-Kun?"

Hiroki brought his eyes into focus and stared up at me for a moment and said, "Yeah, I'm alive, aren't I?"

"I know that. Are you sure you're okay?" I asked.

"Never been better, but can I get up? Laying on the side of the street is not very fun," Hiroki said with a gentle smile.

"Uh… sure," I said.

As Ryuichi and I pulled up Hiroki to his feet, Nami stood to her feet mighty and tall and said to the forming crowd, "Nothing to see here. He's fine. You can move along now."

The people gave murmurs and last glances of reassurance as before they walked their separate ways.

As I held Hiroki steady, Ryuichi retrieved his bike in the middle of the street, allowing cars to move freely. He gave it back to Hiroki and got his bike from a leaning car.

"Are you sure you're not in pain?" Ryuichi asked.

"I'm sure," Hiroki replied, turning to him with a nod.

Ryuichi blinked and flicked the cut on Hiroki's forehead, and smiled, "Now you can say that you hit a car and crashed."

"Hey, that hurt!" Hiroki said defensively.

"You know, it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Then it's hilarious," Ryuichi said with a laugh.

"You know," Nami began, turning towards us, "I've heard of people being hit by moving cars, but not parked cars."

Hiroki turned to her and said, "I hit the car."

"And you better get out of here before the owner comes back. You left a dent in the front of the car, you know," Nami suggested, motioning to the red Volvo.

Hiroki shifted his eyes to the dented vehicle and gasped.

"Wow. The car got hurt more than you," Ryuichi said in sarcastic amazement.

"That's not funny," Hiroki said in panic, pointing to the car and then scratching his short muddy brown hair. His eyes are light brown and his skin is Asian colored and he is very tall like Nami, making me feel like an elf. He is somewhat muscular and his lips, eye lashes, and eye brows are very thick.

"I suggest we get out of her," Nami said, "now."

"Good idea," I said.

Without saying anything else, we walked across the street and to the other sidewalk and stopped there. Nami looked at cell phone and gasped at what she saw.

"School starts in 6 minutes!" Nami gasped.

"What? But we're15 minutes away!" I said.

"I know. We have to run!" Nami replied in panic.

"Yeah, let's go!" I said, turning forward, in a crouch ready to sprint.

But before I could take one step, a warm hand grasped my left wrist. When I looked back, I saw that Hiroki was holding me back. Standing straight up, I asked, "Hiroki-Kun? What?"

"Get on," Hiroki said, releasing my wrist and scooting up on his bike.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Get on," Hiroki said, motioning to his bike this time.

"O-okay," I hesitated as I got onto the back of his bike and wrapped my hands around him.

"Now, Nami-Chan! Get on!" Ryuichi said as he got on his bike.

Nami shook her head and stepped back from him in protest.

"Don't be afraid. I don't bite...hard," Ryuichi said with a small smile.

"5 minutes," I said as Hiroki pushed off and began riding away. I looked back at Nami and Ryuichi as they fought. They'd surely spend their whole time fighting and be late. Turning back my head, I saw that Hiroki was going through a yard, "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Taking a short cut," Hiroki answered with a dangerous smile. When we approached a fence with a hole, he yelled, "Duck!"

I did so and a second later, we flashed through the hole in the fence. As soon as that was over, I lifted my head up to see that I was in another yard. I heard a fierce growl roam through my ears. Frantically, I searched for the growl and saw a bulldog come out of its doghouse and run after us at tremendous speed. My eyes grew wide and I yelled to Hiroki, "Faster!"

"Haha," Hiroki laughed, reaching the middle of the large yard.

"Eh?" I asked in confusion.

"Fluff's nice. Don't' worry about him," Hiroki said in a careless tone.

I looked back and saw that the furious bulldog was only two feet away from the bike and about to leap onto the back wheel. I whined in fright as the dog made its leap, but it barely missed because of the lease that held him back.

Barking angrily, the dog continued to jump towards us but could not get far enough. We curved to the edge of the backyard and into the next yard that was full of weeds and overgrown grass. This made the ride bumpy and uneasy, but for my luck, the yard was much smaller and the fence to the next yard was bent to a low angle, allowing us to run over it and into the next yard.

This yard only had a few weeds growing and a little ditch separating itself from the next yard. I eyed the ditch as we neared it at a fast pace. Jeez. How can Hiroki peddle this fast on this bike with two people on it? Ah, well. Don't care.

"Is this even legal? Aren't we invading peoples private property?" I asked.

"I don't know," Hiroki said, "But it's the fastest way to school. And we can easily escape if they do catch us, which I doubt they will."

"Why did I agree to this?" I asked myself in a too quiet whisper for Hiroki to hear.

On purpose, like his dangerous and daring self, Hiroki sped up and we flew out of the ditch and into the next yard. At first, I couldn't see anything at first that caught my eye until I saw a skateboard ramp right in front of us, and parkour boy was definitely going towards it. Right after the ramp, was a tall fence with points at the top. Ouch. I tried, frantically, to find another escape out of the yard, but I failed.

"Are you crazy?" I asked in an alarmed tone.

"Hmmm… Crazy? No. Daring? Yes," Hiroki answered.

"What's the difference?!' I questioned.

"That's a difficult question," he replied.

"You are going to get us in the-" I said but then we rode over the ramp and flew over the fence into the woods. We landed safely and Hiroki stopped the bike. I was still shaking, but it was over.

"Finish that," Hiroki said.

"Never mind," I said, twitching.

"Are you ready to go?" Hiroki asked.

"Uh… Yeah. I don't want to be late," I said.

"OK," Hiroki replied, peddling the bike once again. We strode through the small forest and to the school parking lot. I was relieved that students were still rushing into the building. We had made it, luckily.

Hiroki and I put the bike up and ran inside the school to change our shoes and run up to our classroom as fast as possible. We arrived up at our classroom and sat in our second row seats and pulling out our books and other materials that were mandatory.

Hiroki sat on the left of me, Nami on the right, and Ryuichi sat behind me.

Nami came running in through the room as quickly and swiftly as possible, sitting in her seat as the teacher (Ariwa-Sensei) turned to face the class with an expecting emotion written on his face. He eyed every desk, but stopped at the one behind me to find that at was empty.

"Gakusha Ryuichi..." Ariwa-Sensei murmured in his soprano tone of voice.

As Ariwa ended the last syllable in Ryuichi's name, Ryuichi appeared at the doorway, clearly not in the least bit worried about being late. Instead of running to his desk like anyone would do to attempt to hide their absence, Ryuichi smiled and leaned against the doorway while gazing at Nami.

Nami shook her head, and turned to the front of the classroom with a yeah-right smirk on her face.

Hiroki and I turned to the front as well; we both smiled in entertainment at Nami's rejection.

"Gakusha-San..." Ariwa-Sensei said, "You may sit now."

Ryuichi pushed away from the doorway and walked to his seat in a cool fashion and sat down to lean back in his seat and daydream about nothing like he usually did on school days.

Unlike most days, school zoomed by. I wish that it would last forever, but, because of my luck, it didn't. School ended, and I walked out of the classroom with a few students saying good-bye to me. Half the people didn't like me or I never spoke to them before. How odd. Seems that whenever someone is leaving, you become famous for a day. Hmmm… Makes me wonder what happens when someone dies. I hear that kids become perfect when they die. Wish I could see that happen if I were to die at an early age. It would be amusing… Hmmm… Then I'd go haunt people for some more humor. Oh, the thrills I'll have!

Nami's voice brought me out of my humorous thoughts, "Come, let's get out of here and do something fun."

I just nodded. Leaving this school is going to be harder than I thought. I think that I feel tears already. How much of this could I possibly bear? If leaving school is going to make me emotional, then what's going to happen once I step foot on that plane that'll take me from this place that I love to call home? Hurtingly, I pushed that thought away. I couldn't ruin my last day – well, what was left of my last day – with all my friends. At least, I had to act like I was enjoying myself to make them happy.

"What should we do?' Hiroki asked, walking out into the hall with me and Nami.

"Should we go to a nice restaurant or something?' Nami asked suggestively.

"No," Ryuichi said, "How about something more exciting. She can eat anywhere."

"True, true," Nami agreed.

"How about we go around the city," Hiroki suggested.

"But we've been there so many times," Nami complained.

"So?" Ryuichi interjected.

"How about the beach?" I suggested in a questioning tone. All I really wanted at this point was for them to shut up. Did it really matter where we went as long as we were together? We could go to the sewer, and I wouldn't care, just as long as we were all together telling jokes and laughing like we always do.

"That sounds like a good idea," Nami agreed.

"Perfect day too. A little cold, a little warm. Nothing major," Hiroki reasoned.

"Sand...Nami in a bathing suit...perfect place," Ryuichi thought out loud.

Nami glared at him intently and hit him in the back of his head with her school bag full of books and what not?

Hiroki laughed, but this did not humor me as it usually did. It made me a little more depressed and sad. I would miss Nami's fits with Ryuichi a lot. Even though it wasn't intentional for them to quarrel like a married couple, it still cheered me up every day, but once I'm gone, I won't get to see them fight like this anymore.

Hiroki noticed my not-amused expression and stopped laughing to put his right hand on my left hunched shoulder. As we walked, he looked at me with caring and curious eyes.

I'd miss those eyes too. He always seemed so caring about people and always seemed to understand people. No one could understand me more than he could. It seemed as if I was an open book to him and he could read every thought going through my mind just by looking at my expression on my face.

"Kisa-San? What's bothering you?" Hiroki asked me with the calmest expression.

At his words, Nami and Ryuichi shut up and turned their attention to Hiroki and I.

"Nothing. I'm fine," I lied.

"No, you're not fine," Hiroki pushed. He stopped front of me and put both hands on my shoulders to yield me and look straight into the depth of my Asian shaped, brown eyes.

I blinked and shook my head with my lips in a frown.

"Must you keep a secret from us? It's better to get this out of your head and tell the people who care the most about you, including your family, what's wrong," Hiroki advised.

I shook away from him, making his arms fall to his sides, "I'm fine." There goes another lie.

"Kisa-San, tell us what's on your mind. Did we do something to upset you?" Nami asked.

I eyed Nami and said, "No, no. It's just a thought that I came up with. I just thought of things that I'm going to miss."

"Ah, Kisa..." Nami said, giving me an one-armed hug, "Don't feel so bad. Just enjoy the rest of the day with us. Can you do that?"

Here is what I was afraid of, my friends worrying over me.

Ryuichi and Hiroki joined in on the, now, group hug.

"Just think of all the good things," Ryuichi said.

"That's an idea to follow," Hiroki agreed, "Just think of all the positive things."

"Okay, guys. I'll try," I lied. Gosh, I hated lying to my friends. Well, I hated lying in general. No point. It just gets you in trouble and ruins trust. Never works for anyone.

Together, side-by-side, we walked out of the school and to the beach. It took us a little over an hour, but we managed by laughing and talking. We could have gotten to our destination faster if we had taken the subway, but I wanted to take a last look of the city before I left to America.

When we arrived to the beach, we sat in the sand, not caring if sand got in our shoes or on our clothes. What fun is there if you can't do anything? I decided to take off my shoes and run freely for the last time. The soft, warm sand beneath my feet felt like heaven and the soft sound of the crashing waves against the shore made me feel comforting as if I could live here forever or survive a terrible tragedy. For some reason, the ocean gave me a relief of some sort that I could not quite point out or describe. I felt an eerie feeling, yet, I felt that I was safe and had a shield around me. Wish I could stay here forever and never leave, but that was, at this point, impossible.

I stopped running at the edge of the water to run over my feet and begin to sink them beneath the sand. As the water ran over my feet, I closed my eyes and imagined myself in a peaceful place.

"The sunset looks prettier when your eyes are open," Hiroki said, walking up to my side.

My eyes flew open widely and I jumped a little from the shock. I hadn't noticed him walking up beside me. How silly of me.

"Sorry to scare you," Hiroki apologized.

I squished my feet back into the sand and shook my head twice, "No, don't apologize. I was just startled."

"As always," Hiroki said, "You never change."

"Eh?" I asked in confusion, scratching the top of my forehead.

Hiroki looked at me and smiled with his perfect white teeth, "You always get startled and worked up easily."

I smiled at the truth in his words, "Yes, and?"

"You have never changed since the first time I met you three years ago," Hiroki said.

I nodded once and replied, "So?"

"Well, I don't want you to change...never," Hiroki said.

I looked at Hiroki's scarlet colored face intently, "Hiroki-Kun...what are you trying to say? I'm afraid I don't catch on."

"When you come back," –He looked down at his sandy feet–"… Don't come back different, ok?"

"Uhhh… Okay?" I asked bewildered. My forehead creased.

Hiroki looked back up at me. His face was redder than just a second before, "I like you the way you are now. Please, don't change for anything or anyone. Stay Masuno, Kisa-San for me...I really like—"

"Kisa-San," Nami called from almost 20 feet away. She was waving my ringing phone in the air as she shouted.

I turned to Hiroki and said, "Excuse me..." I turned to run, but Hiroki grabbed my left wrist before I could take my second step. The wind blew my hair away from my face and the sunlight made his features stand out more than ever as I looked back at his pleading face. My eyes questioned his hand around my wrist.

"Hi...ro...ki...?" I asked in unison.

He didn't answer, nor did he set my wrist free.

My head turned a little way to the right and I looked into his eyes. I couldn't read his expression, but he could most definitely read mine. I could feel my facial expression question him intensely. Before I could repeat his name, he let my wrist free and his hand fell to his side. He looked back at the calm waves saying nothing. I stood for a split second but then turned to run to Nami and my still ringing cell phone. I arrived to Nami and grabbed my mobile phone from her still waving left hand. I answered it, "Hello?"

'Kisa-Chan?' my mother asked.

"Yes?" I replied.

'When will you be home? Your room is a mess!' my mother said.

"By nine," I promised.

"Eight," my mother corrected.

"Mom!" I complained, "Please let me stay with my friends a little later. This is my last day."

The line was silent for a moment.

'Fine. I guess since it's your last day,' my mom gave in.

"Thank-you, Mom," I said with a small smile, "Home by nine."

"By nine," my mother repeated in a serious voice.

"Okay. Bye, Mom," I said, hanging up the phone and putting it in my empty right shoe that was laying on the sand.

"Nine, you say?" Nami asked.

"Yes," I said with a slight nod.

"Then we have about two and a half hours to kill," Ryuichi said, from behind me.

I turned to him, failing to hid my shock, "Where did you come from?"

"Well, it all starts with two people's love and passion for each other and then-" Ryuichi began to explain with a sly grin on his face.

I interrupted him, "Okay, okay. Stop!"

Ryuichi chuckled and turned to Nami, "Never mind where I came from, but I believe I can guess where you came from, Beautiful. The stars maybe? Or a fairy tail that came true?"

"Your pick up lines are not working," Nami said, crossing her arms.

"Well...uh, I'll leave you two to debate over this..." I said, running off back to Hiroki.

"But, wait-" Nami called after me, but I didn't look back because Ryuichi interrupted.

"Don't," Ryuichi said, covering Nami's mouth, "Let..." His voice trailed off. I couldn't hear any more. What was wrong with these people? Five feet away from Hiroki, I stopped and waited for him to turn to me. He did.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Huh?" I asked, clearly confused.

"For my behavior before," Hiroki answered.

"What?" I asked, taking a step forward and continuing to his side as he spoke.

"I acted a little off the edge," Hiroki replied.

How could I answer him? He was out of the ordinary. But how can I tell him that without looking like a complete idiot?

"No, no," I began, "You're fine. But what were you trying to tell me?"

Hiroki hesitated, "...Uh… It's nothing."

"Eh? But—" I protested.

"Look!" Hiroki pointed out at the sea, I followed his finger, "Dolphins!"

What a weird and random sentence... He has to be hiding something.

"Wow," I acted surprised, "A lot of them too." He wasn't going to keep this away from me forever. "Tell me what you were trying to say back there."

"Uhhh... err. I was, um, asking you to watch the, err, sunset with me," Hiroki said in an unsure voice, "Come! Let's sit down on some dry sand and this can be a never forgotten memory!"

At this point, I knew he wasn't going to tell me anything, so I just went with it and we walked up the beach and sat down on the dry sand, watching the sunset together side by side. The stars finally came out bright as ever. We lay on our backs and tried to find constellations and told jokes. I also wondered what happened to Nami and Ryuichi. Ryuichi's comment got me suspicious though.

I knew that my time was limited. Oh, how I'd miss this. I sat up and looked straight ahead nowhere in particular. Hiroki noticed my movement and sat up as well.

His hand accidentally went over mine. I looked at him and, though I couldn't see the color of his face, I knew that he was blushing scarlet red, possibly crimson at the touch of my hand. I didn't move my hand, but neither did he.

I couldn't notice anything besides him, which felt so strange. So exotic. I've never felt this way before, especially around Hiroki. Somehow, I felt my face blushing as well. No one spoke. We both just stared at each other questioningly. I felt my whole body burn with lust.

The waves of the beach grew quiet, or so it seemed, and the area around us seemed to disappear. It was only he and I in this universe at this moment in the night.

Without notice, our faces seemed to get closer slowly. Every few seconds, our faces grew centimeters closer and closer. Our lips were not even a centimeter apart-

"Kisa! Where are you?" Nami called. I backed away and looked around. Hiroki turned away and his hand went into his lap. Nami stopped at my feet and pulled me up.

"What?" I asked. Her voice had seemed frantic.

"Late...it's 8:52!" Nami said.

"What? I can't get home in eight minutes!" I frantically replied, grabbing my shoes, taking my cell phone out, and putting them on quickly without shaking the sand from the bottom.

I felt Hiroki look at my back from behind me.

"I'll have to catch the train," I said.

"Yeah," Nami said.

"Good-bye, Nami," I said, giving her a hug.

Hiroki got to his feet and looked down at the ground.

"I'll miss you, K-Chan," Nami said, with tears streaming down her face. I felt warm tears fall down my cheeks and off my chin. I let her go and hugged Hiroki.

He hugged me back and with his right hand, caught a tear that fell down my chin. I let him free and saw him look down at his palm. I had no time to think about our almost kiss. I just ran into Ryuichi and hugged him good-bye. As soon as I let him go, I ran off. With one last glance, I waved good-bye and turned away, running as fast as I could. My heart told me to go back, but my body pulled me forward. I ran like hell to get to the train. I got my ticket and got on the train as the doors were beginning to close. Catching my breath, I sat down in one of the chairs next to a window and looked at my reflection in the window. My face was damp from my tears and my eyes were blurry from the running and crying all at once. The train began to move. I saw my three friends run up and wave good-bye. I pressed my hands against the window and cried even more.

Why did I have to leave? Why? Why did I have to leave my friends, my home, and my life for America? And of all people, why me? I faced forward and crossed my arms as my head leaned against the window. I closed my eyes, but tears still continued to fall down my face. Today, my life has ended, or so it seems. My friends and school are all gone. Now I have to leave them for a horrible place. This was the worst for me. I felt pain in my chest every inch the train took me away from my friends. Tomorrow was to be worse. The plain will not just take me away from my friends and my school, but from my home. So I believe that today ends my life, and now I must start a new one. And Nami would want me to make the best of it, so I choose to make the best of it, but it will not make a difference for me. I will still, forever, hate my new life in America, no doubt about that. And I thought as the sunset ended, that my life would end and so it did...

--

I know, I know. It wasn't that good. But can I please have comments and such! I need opinions badly!! Please and thankyou!!


	2. Chapter 2

It was twelve in the morning… And dark as night in my room. I stared straight up at the ceiling as I lie in my bad, listening to the tick tock of my clock on the nigh stand to the left of my bed. Each noise the clock made told me that I was a second closer to leaving my beloved home and friends. I had already said good-bye to my friends only three hours ago, but my chest still burnt in the pain of never possibly seeing them again. I shed so many tears, and still, they stung my cheeks immensely. I blinked a few times to clear my vision even though that action was not necessary. The only thing that I could see in this dark room that I love more than I have ever before was the memories of this place. I've been up for the past hour...trying to go to sleep. Every method would not carry me into unconsciousness. Every time I'd close my eyes, I'd remember that last view of my friends and the near kiss of Hiroki and me. Which led to another mystery that I continued to debate in my head. What was he doing? What was I doing? We're only friends...but somehow, I missed him more than the others.

Figuring I could not get to sleep, I decided to go downstairs to get something to drink. It would help clear my mind. I don't think I could wake up anyone, I'm known as the quiet one, guess that becomes a good thing in these scenarios.

I slid my legs over the side of the bed and tip toed to my door, quietly pulling the door open, I walked into the hall and tip toed passed my brother's -Kanaye- room and little sister's –Koru– room and descended down the narrow, soft carpet steps to the first floor of my, now, empty home. I frowned at this thought of my home being empty; it just brought more pain of the fact that I'd be leaving in the next few hours to never come back. I moved towards the kitchen in what seemed like a zombie-like act.

I paused at the yelling I heard from the kitchen. The voice belonged to the translator -Lanette- that will help my family on their trip and settling in. She spoke in English, so I could not understand enough to understand the conversation.

"What do you mean you didn't take care of him?!" Lanette asked angrily in English. A pause, "What do you mean you held pity for him? Have you lost your mind?" -pause- "You better do as you're told and do it soon!" -pause again, this time an alto teenage girl's voice was what I could hear. She was yelling, but in English. Lanette ranted on, "Rosalie! You better get rid of him!" Another pause, her voice had calmed down, "Don't think, just do. Good-bye." With that, the phone hung up. Lanette's footsteps came closer as she walked out of the kitchen. She stopped a few feet in front of me and jumped in surprise at my presence.

"Kisa-San," she said, "I didn't know you were here." She spoke in Japanese, but I could tell that she was hiding something.

"Ah, yes," I said trying to act clueless, "I couldn't sleep, so I came down to get a drink."

"Ah, I see. Ready for the big day?" she asked me.

I shook my head, "Never."

"I see. I have four kids of my own, three are older than you and the youngest is five, but I know how it feels. And so do my kids. They move around a lot, and the older ones don't have a father. My youngest has a father, but he calls once a year," her tone held some sympathy, "But they always look positive. They know that their lives could be much worse. Just look at the positive things. Think of this as an adventure. An adventure that you'll remember forever."

"I guess," I lied, walking into the kitchen and opening the refrigerator.

She turned back to me and smiled, "Try to get some sleep. It's going to be a long day." And she turned away.

I didn't respond, all I did was nod slightly and heard her footsteps drift away. Finally. Now I was alone. I could try to think clearly. Our fridge didn't have much in it. There were only a few drinks and small pieces of fruit. I sat on the ground (our table was gone too) and crossed my legs as I held my cup of orange juice in my left hand.

The first thought that came to my mind was the phone call Lanette was making. Why this late at night? I guess that could be answered pretty easily because she was speaking English and it was daytime in the Untied States. The time change, another thing I'll have to get used to. Oh, so annoying. But another thing bothered me about the way Lanette was on the phone. No matter what language she was speaking in, she sounded angry and annoyed at the person on the other line. For some reason, I felt sorry for the person who had to be yelled at on the other line. But I couldn't ask, that would be incredibly rude of me.

There was another thought that crossed my mind, and it has been nagging at me for the past hour. Why were Hiroki and I about to kiss? I didn't like him that way...did I? I shook my head and took a drink of my orange juice and set the glass cup on the floor as lightly as I could. Did he like me that way? He sure was acting strange...but maybe we were just being drawn closer by the wind, or maybe I was slowly fainting...I guess that sounded better than agreeing with the first idea I had.

"Kisa?" my one-year-older brother –Kanaye– called to me, as he walked into the kitchen.

I looked up at him, as I took a small sip of orange juice, "Yes?" Had I woken him up or was it Lanette's yelling?

"What are you doing?" Kanaye asked, grabbing the orange juice carton and loosening the cap, and talking a large gulp of it right from the carton.

"Can't sleep..." I answered, "Ew, gross. I was going to get more. And I know that you spit some of that back! I see you at dinner every day. Nasty."

"Good, more for me," Kanaye said, sitting across from me, leaning against a few cabinet doors.

"Why are you up?" I asked.

"Anxious," he answered, then looked at me with honest eyes, "to get out of here."

"Anxious?" I asked in surprise, "Why do you want to leave Japan so bad?! You're happy about moving?!"

"Yes, I am," he admitted, "It's a new start for us all."

"New start? How so?" I asked immensely, the anger growing within me.

"You know. Mom and Dad stopped drugs and drinking. They have been sober for a while and now they want to move to start fresh and new. Plus, they don't want to live in a devilish-based country anymore. They want to be in a Christian based country," Kanaye explained.

I twitched, "That's it? There has to be a better reason than that. They can start a new beginning here. And they have churches here. This country is not full of devilish people and horrible ways!" I was a little louder than I should have been.

"Calm down," he said to me in a whisper, "I understand your point of view, but I understand Mom and Dad's."

"What about your friends?" I asked.

"I will keep in touch and if they are true friends, they'll keep in touch," Kanaye answered as if the question had no thought in his small mind.

"I don't feel that way. I have my friends. My priorities," I said sternly.

"That's just it, Kisa-Chan," Kanaye pointed out, "You don't care about anyone but yourself."

"What?" I asked shocked.

"You only care about what you want. What about your family? Did you even care that Mom and Dad were out partying and drinking and coming home drunk at two in the morning? Did you care to smell drugs everywhere you walked? Or did you only care about your friends and your problems?" Kanaye asked in a serious tone. He eyed me furiously, just as I eyed him with a glare full of intensity.

I couldn't answer his question. I didn't know how or why. I just responded in the best way I could, which came out wrong, "Shut up! You know nothing, Fool! Back off! Go away, traitor!"

Kanaye's face went emotionless as he stood to his feet and set the empty orange juice carton on the counter and walked out of the kitchen soundlessly.

Again, I was all alone, and at ease. I sat in the kitchen for the next two hours thinking of everything over and over again. A few times, I nearly fell asleep, but caught myself thinking that the next time I wake up, I'll have to leave this place. I wanted to sit here forever and never leave, but that was impossible. Not leaving this place was like stopping the sunset...impossible.

By three in the morning, my mother walked into the kitchen with her clothes and makeup already on. She looked at me and gently smiled, but my face remained the same, stone cold face that it has been for the past few days.

My mother's name is Amane Ai. She is tall, skinny, and has curly brown hair down to the small of her back. Her eyes are muddy brown and her skin is polish with a slight Asian tint. Her eyebrows and eyelashes are very thin and same with her facial features. Small eyes, small nose, small lips, small mouth. She's just a petite person, except for the fact that she is very tall.

"Good-morning, Kisa-Chan," Ai greeted me.

I said nothing. I just turned away and stared out at the darkness of the early morning through the window above the kitchen sink as I set the cup of orange juice with a clatter into the metal sink.

"It's going to be a beautiful day in Atlanta," Ai went on.

I just stared straight ahead, listening and not answering.

"We'll get there at about nine in the morning. We'll have a whole day ahead of us," she said to me, grabbing a cup and putting some instant coffee into it.

"Good-morning!" my little six-year-old sister Amane Kumiko (Kumi) said, walking into the kitchen with a big smile on her face.

Ai turned to her and hugged Kumi, "Good-morning, Kumi-Chan."

"Kisa-Nee!" Kumi said to me. I turned around to her and hugged her and quickly stepped away. Everyone in my family was happy about leaving. I wasn't. I felt opposed to them all.

My father dragged his feet into the kitchen. His head was looking down at the ground. He was never a morning person. He has short, spiky black hair and dark brown eyes and he was very tall. He is muscular and looks to be in his mid forties. He blinked.

"Shiro-San," Ai said to my father, embracing him.

"Good-morning," Shiro said tiredly.

"Hello, papa!" Kumi said with a bright smile on her face.

Shiro's face brightened up as he looked down and hugged Kumi, "Good-Morning, Chan." When he let her free, he stood straight up and looked at me, "Morning, Kisa-Chan."

"Father..." I whispered and stomped out of the kitchen. Everyone was in such a good mood unaware of moving away from here. Who are these people?! I'm not related to them!

Still in my fuse, I didn't realize that Kanaye was running down the hall. He ran into me and literally knocked me to the ground. He gasped and pulled me to my feet as soon as I hit the ground, "Kisa?"

"What?" I asked, my forehead creasing in agitation, "You run me over and all you're going to say is 'Kisa?'"

"Uh...sorry," he apologized, "I'm a little tired."

"Then you shouldn't have gone downstairs at one in the morning," I said.

"You're not tired," Kanaye said.

"Yeah, actually, I am!" I said, throwing my hands in the air, "Extremely. I'm tired of this crap about moving and everyone be all happy about it!"

"Like it or not, we're moving," he replied.

I passed him and stomped angrily towards my room, "I'm NOT moving!" I yelled this and slammed my door as hard as I could. No one answered. My eyes closed and I shook in anger. I ran to the place where my roll out Japanese style bed laid and fell down upon it. Thump. Quickly, I opened my eyes. I wasn't on my bed. I fell on my hard carpet floor. I looked around panicked. I sat up on my knees. Nothing was in my room. Nothing. My bed was gone. My closet was empty. My alarm clock and small dresser that it once sat upon was missing. When I woke up, my room was too empty for words, but now my room looked alien to me. The only thing of mine was a pair of black pants, black ballet flats, undergarments, and a black and white Chinese designed short sleeve shirt. Ai must have laid these out for me. And Shiro must have taken the rest of my things and packed them up. Dang.

I picked up my shirt and examined its pattern broadly. In my trance, I heard light footsteps coming to my room. With a creek, my door opened and my mother stood in the doorway with a calm expression on her face, "Kisa-Chan… It's time to get dressed."

I did not ignore her, nor did I look up at her.

She drew closer and crouched down next to me, wrapping her left arm around my shoulders, "Kisa..." She said my name in such a disappointed tone, "Why are you so troubled?" -no answer- "Why are you so troubled? Be happy. We're going to leave to go to a better place. You'll love Amer—"

I shook her arm off and stared at her appalled, "Don't say it!"

"Ki—"

"Don't Kisa-Chan me! Don't say anything at all! I can't believe you and dad want to move to America! America! Of all places, why America?" I stood to my feet and looked down at my mother.

"We are going to be happy there! A happy family!" Ai said, standing to her feet, staring me straight in the eyes.

"A family I refuse to a part of!" I said, almost yelling.

"Fool!" Ai called me, "You will smile and be happy to be a part of this family."

"Watch me frown!" I said, this time yelling, grabbing my clothes, and running into the bathroom door, slamming it behind me.

I heard my mom sigh heavily and walked out of the room, shutting my bedroom door slowly behind her.

Reluctantly, I got dressed. I eyed myself in the mirror. I have chocolate brown eyes, a little tan, and shoulder length hair that is perfectly straight with bangs slanted to the left. My lips are full and my nose is small, just like the rest of me. I sighed and looked at the empty all white bathroom as I leaned against the door. My eyes were becoming moist with new tears as I slid to the ground in my own misery and despair. Without holding back, my tears began to flow down my cheeks. My eyes blurred and I buried my head in my arms. Unbelievable. For what seemed like forever, I sobbed and cried for the morning of my exile.

"Kisa-Chan?" Ai asked me at the airport coffee shop, "What do you want?"

"To go home," I whispered.

Ai turned away from me and ordered for the rest of the family, ignoring my answer. My family got their drinks and walked to the airport gate. Everyone but me sat in the chairs comfortably. I walked to the window and eyed the Japanese airliner that will take me from this place that I love to call home. I looked ahead at the jet that would take me away from my oh-so-precious memories and friends. This ground that I stand on is so important to me, but now I will never be able to touch it again because this airplane will take me away from everything.

"Group A," the flight attendant called over the loudspeaker. We were Group C. Only two groups away. Only 2.

I touched the glass that was the only barrier that kept me from this horrible carrier that would carry me away. I hoped so much that rain and thunder would prevent my departure.

"Group B."

The sun began to rise. 1 more group and all my hopes are lost. Same with my future. My future. My friends. My school. Everyone. Everything is taken away from me.

My head stared slightly below the ground and my eyes closed. I was hiding back tears.

"Group C."

Those would be the most devastating words of my life. My jaw clenched. Now I was hiding back a scream and tears. My feet were planted where they were. I felt like stone.

Ai tapped lightly on my right shoulder, "Time to board the plane."

"No," I whispered.

"Kisa," Ai begged, "Please."

I turned around and the tears were released, "Why? Why?" I was almost yelling, attracting some gazes my way.

Shiro came up by Ai's side and frowned, "Kisa."

"What?" I asked.

"Board the plane," he said, handing me my boarding pass.

I snatched it from his hand and stomped over to the flight attendant. She took it and let me pass. Ai and Shiro were right behind me. Lanette, Kumi, and Kanaye were right in front of me.

"Kisa-Chan, please, be happy," Ai told me in such a calm voice, but it didn't effect my mood.

I turned around and stared at her like she had stabbed me with the biggest, sharpest knife, "Be happy? Be happy?" I asked in a normal voice that began to crack from tears.

"It's for the best," Shiro said, wrapping his arm around his wife.

Lanette and the others stopped and stared back at us waiting in wonder.

"For the best?" I yelled, "I HATE YOU!" I turned around and glanced at my other family members and Lanette and back at my parents, "I HATE ALL OF YOU! YOU CAN DIE FOR ALL I CARE!" I turned away and ran past Lanette. I boarded the plane and passed the welcoming, smiling flight attendant. I knew where my seat was. I ran to it and sat by the window in the back of the plane. By the time I sat down, I was breathing heavily with tears streaming down my face. Not many people were boarded the plane. But more came. I didn't see my family. My seat was the farthest back. What felt like an hour later, the plane was full of passengers.

"Good-Morning, everyone. Welcome to Air Japan. As always, we are glad that you have chosen our airliner today. We will be traveling to Atlanta, Georgia, United States. We will arrive there at 9A.M. eastern time..."

I pulled on my Ipod headphones quickly. I couldn't take anymore. NO MORE!

I waited for the plane to start moving, and too soon, it did. I looked at the rising sun and tears were still streaming down my face. Still. I closed my eyes. Our plane took off and I saw the ocean below me. I saw the beach that I was once at. I remember the sunset. And now I can see the sunrise from the wrong place. So much did I want to be down there on that beach with Hiroki and the others. I looked down at the water and tears dried on my face.

It's been about thirty minutes since take off. We were passing an island off the coast of where I so much wanted to be.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and rudely passed by the people who were sitting in my row. I walked to the front of the plane to the bathroom. Kanaye was standing in the isle and walking to the bathroom himself. I abruptly passed him, bumping into his shoulder, and not turning back to apologize. I didn't feel sorry.

Lanette was unbuckling her seatbelt and digging through her carry on bag.

I opened the bathroom door and shut it, as Kanaye was two feet away. Heh. Slamming it in his face was what he deserved. Honestly, I didn't need to use the bathroom; I just wanted to hide away for a while. And to add to that, I was going to make Kanaye mad.

I looked at my refection in the mirror and thought randomly. It felt like two hours that I was standing there. I could have sworn that I was dreaming. Whatever I was doing, something took me out of my thoughts or dreams because I jumped. The plane felt like it was twitching. I stabled myself and looked around. It didn't twitch again...but then once I thought that it was just a bump in the air, another twitch. This time I fell against the wall.

Faster and faster, twitches came and came. I was being shaken. The mirror shattered as I threw the door open and fell the ground. Our plane was pointing downward at a forty-five degree angle. Too much. Passengers were screaming. I was in panic. I didn't know what to do. What could I do? Lights began flickering and trays of food were falling everywhere. I tried to get to my feet, but halfway, I fell back against the wall.

I looked back up at the isle. Our plane was pointing more downward. Kanaye was flipping down the isle towards me. He was screaming just like the other passengers. I got to my feet and propped myself against the wall and looked for my family.

Ai was knocked out from the shock.

Shiro was trying to awaken her. His face was full of fear.

Kumi was crying heavily and screaming. She was shaking her mother trying to get her up.

Kanaye slid to my side and tried to stay in one place.

Then I noticed... Lanette was missing.

"What's happening?!" I asked, yelling, to my brother.

He struggled to get to his feet, "I don't know!"

A big jerk pushed me off balance and threw me against a three hundred-pound cart full of food. Plates crushed over my head and drinks drenched me.

Kanaye was leaning against a wall, still sitting, gasping.

Then I saw her. Lanette had a backpack on. She didn't eye me at all. She opened the door of the plane and jumped out as if she was a natural. Before she was out of the plane, she gave one last glance at me. She smiled so cruelly. So she planned this. This was it.

"Kanaye!" I yelled, "Grab my hand!" I had to jump out. I couldn't get the rest of my family. At least I could save one.

Another 300-pound cart flew down the isle, crushing Kanaye's legs. He screamed in pain.

I couldn't give up. Not yet. I reached for his hand but I couldn't get close enough. But I tried. I had to. I had to save him. I had to save my brother. Five cm away. 4… 3… 2…1… A sudden jerk of the plane surprised me. I was thrown away. I looked out the door. And there it was. The water. The calm water of the pacific. A plane seat flew out of the door. A man I recognized rolled down the isle. He was bleeding. His nose...his mouth. Blood. Shiro. Father. I reached for Kanaye again, but another jerk of the plane sent me out the door. I plummeted to the water of the Pacific. Before I hit the water, I saw the plane fly closer. I went under and came up. I saw the plane with all my family inside descend into the no forgiving waters of the ocean. I grabbed the plane seat and floated.

The last of the plane plummeted into the Pacific. I waited with tears flowing down my face. I waited. I waited. And waited. No one came up. No one. Gone was my family. Gone was what was with me.

I cried for so long. No one could feel the despair and sorrow I held right now. My family was taken away. Forever. This is how it ends. This is how everything is going to end for me. I am now alone. I have no one. I have no one! NO ONE! I hold dread and misery within my heart. Now I am empty. And if death is their fate? Why can't I die with them? Why?! Why did this have to happen to me!? Why my family?! My family didn't die in an accident. They were murdered. Debris began to float my way. I saw parts of the plane, but one piece caught my eye. I picked up my family's journal. Everyone wrote in this journal. It was the one thing that bonded us. I never wrote in it myself. I always thought it was stupid, but now I wanted to have written it so bad...and have people respond, but that is all lost.

I held on to the journal for dear life all day.

All was silent until a motor in the distance grew closer. Closer it came.

A small boat came up to me. Three people were aboard. Two people were dressed in suits but the other one was in a diving suit, driving the boat. They stopped the motor and ran to the side of the boat.

"You there," the woman in the suit yelled.

I looked up, but I couldn't speak. I tried to squeeze words out of my open mouth, but I couldn't. No.

"Come," the man in the suit, said, "We are here to rescue you."

I kicked towards them reluctantly. I wanted to stay in the Pacific with my family. The man in the suit pulled me up onto the small boat and wrapped me in a large white tale. As he began driving the boat back to shore, the two people dressed in suits sat on both sides of me.

"Are you okay, Miss?" the man asked.

I frowned but nodded. I sobbed.

"What is your name?" the woman asked very kindly.

"Amane Ki-Kisa," I said, cracking up from my fit.

"How old are you?" the woman asked.

"15," I said.

"Were you just on a plane?" the man asked.

"Yes," I answered, cracking up at the end.

"I know how this accident surprised you. But we are here to help," the woman said, "I am FBI Agent Hayashi Yukiko and this is Agent Matsuura Daisuke."

"Accident... murder," I replied.

"Murder?" Hayashi asked, appalled.

"Murdered. My family...everyone...murdered," I said.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, everyone!! XEDDDDDD!! Wish is back!! (Like I was ever gone!) Yes, I thought of this on my own! And it's not that amazing. (at least not to me.) I just do this as a hobby, but I want this as a job when I am older. I sent chapter one to the movie company already. XD but I'd like to thank you all for commenting and gving me support! I loves you all!! (btw, thanks for dealing with my spelling errors. I hate reading over my work. i will think too much and delete it.) So I got an editor. but i want to post everything up for you guys to see with the errors. Who wants to wait anyways?? but please leave some comments for me. I would so greatly appreciate it! But let's get started!

-Wysh

"Amane-San," Hayashi called to me.

It's been two days since the accident. Since my family's depart from this world. I have been staying in a hotel with Agent Hayashi Yukiko for the past two nights. I was nonstop crying. I hadn't eaten in two days either. I wasn't hungary. All I felt were cramps of guilt inside, stabbing at my heart, making me paralyzed.

I looked up from the ground at her gracious, sorrowful, young face that was blurred from tears. I rubbed my eyes and nodded slowly to tell her that she had my attention.

Agent Hayashi crouched down to my level and said in a caring voice that seemed rehersed, "I'm sorry, Amane-San." -she paused- "As you should know, you cannot live on your own. You-"

"Please," I begged, "anything but a foster home!"

Agent Hayashi's head shook a few times, "You'll be taken care of by a young couple. You'll have to go into the Witness Protection Program. If you say that the terrorist survived that plane crash then you need to be safe until we find him or her."

"Her," I corrected, my voice cracking. Oh, how I loathed her.

"Her," she said, "This couple is very nice. They are married and they also have another girl who is only a few years older than you that is in the Witness Protection Program. You won't be able to go back to your life before. We will have to say that everyone died on that plane, including yourself. Do you understand?"

I just nodded once. Of course I understood. Now I have to be "dead".

At that moment, Agent Matsuura walked into the small waiting room with a file held between his body and left arm.

"You'll be having a funeral and a memorial at Okinawa National Cemetary just like everyone else on that plane," Hayashi explained.

"Can I come?" I asked shakily and in a quiet voice.

"Of course not," Matsuura answered.

Me and along with Agent Hayashi looked up at him. Her gaze was understanding, but mine was questioning. Who says I can't go to my own funeral?

"You're saying I can't go to my own funeral?" I asked, still in a shaky, hesitant voice.

"Friends will recognize you," Hayashi said, backing Matsuura up.

"This is for my family too!" I argued. No way was I going to lose this one.

"And when your friends and neighbors see you there, they will be scared and gape," Matsuura replied.

I said nothing.

"Please, understand," Hayashi begged, standing straight up and walking to Matsuura, "Are the Suzuki's here?"

"Yes, they are right outside," Matsuura answered.

"All of them?" Hayashi asked.

"Yes, even Elizabeth-San," Matsuura said.

"Good," Hayashi said with a gentle nod, "I'll take Amane-San out to meet them."

I looked up at the sound of my name.

Agent Hayashi turned to me and gave me a gentle smile. I stood up. I knew I was going to meet someone.

"Follow me, Amane-San," Hayashi said.

"See you soon," Matsuura said.

I didn't say anything. I wouldn't. He wouldn't let me go to my own funeral. MY funeral! It's not like people get to go to their own funerals. Plus, I'm curious. How can you do a funeral without a body? That just doesn't seem very possible. I don't know. But one things straight. I'm going to that funeral.

Hayashi led me out the door and into a long, narrow hall that had a wall of glass that overlooked the city of Osaka.

At the end of the hall, stood three people. Two looked to be in their thirties and the other one looked like a teenager. As I walked closer, I realized that the older woman had long, dark brown hair and a very plump face. She was very short and petite, kind of like my mom. The man beside her was very tall, muscular, and looked to be kind by the way his facial expression was. The teenager was a few years older than I and was American. Her hair is long, straight, and blondish brown with hints of red. Her skin was pale and her eyes are lightish green or blue. It was hard to tell. By her frown, I could tell that she was suffering from something. Made me curious. Her eyes seemed to reflect some horrible scene but it was hidden. As I approached closer, the older couple smiled at our meeting.

"Hello," Hayashi introduced, bowing.

"Good-Morning," the man said and bowed along with his wife. The teen nor I bowed; however, we just remained silent. I guess our faces reflected each others. We looked scarred.

"As always, it's nice to see you again. I just wish it not for this reason," Hayashi said profressionally.

"Ah, the same," the woman said this time.

"Meet Amane Kisa-San," Hayashi said.

I bowed, but said nothing.

"Hello, Kisa-Chan. It's so nice to meet you," the man said, bowing with his wife.

"She is very silent. I hope she will fit in soon and get along with the everyone," Hayashi said, "We do have to change her name so she can start school once again."

I looked at Hayashi surprised, but she did not look back at me.

"We have chosen a name for her," Hayashi said, "Here's the file with all the info and her background story for the Witness Protection Program." Agent Hayashi handed the woman a folder out of her bag and smiled down at me as if to encourage me.

"We will take care of her," the man promised.

"I am sure you will," Hayashi said, "You can take her now. Just make her at home. It's only been two days. And Elizabeth-San-" Hayashi cut off as Elizabeth turned away angrily and walked to the elevator.

"She'll only go to the car," the woman reasured Hayshi.

"Ah, I see," Hayashi replied. The elevator door closed, "Amane-San. This is Mr and Mrs. Suzuki. They will take good care of you, I promise. They will take you home now. Call me if you need anything, okay?" She handed me a card with her name, number and email on it.

I took it and nodded.

"Come," the woman said, extending her hand to me. I walked forward and she wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

We walked silently into the elevator and out the building to the car. I saw Elizabeth in the backseat staring off into the distance. The woman motioned for me to sit in the front and so I did. The man got in the drivers seat and started the engine and the woman got in the backseat next to a silent Elizabeth. Quietly, I buckled my seatbelt. As I looked out the window of the car, I felt horribly ill. This was too much. (for me anyways) I couldn't stand the whole idea of living with new people. If only I had saved my family from that plane crash. I was so against moving that I did not care about what my family wanted. I realize now that I am selfish, and I knew that going to the United States would be a huge change for us. So many times did I wish I could have stayed in Japan. I got my wish, but not in the fasion I wanted it.

Another thing that I for sure know...is that I'm going to my funeral!

The man opened the drivers car door and sat in front of the steering wheel. Once he was buckled in and the keys were in the engine, he shut the car door and started the engine.

I just stared blankly out the window as if nothing had changed. The car pulled off. The city passed by quickly. I frowned at the passing buildings, people, and cars. I would rather be in America with my family then back here without them. As we drove on, I remembered my last words to my family...those last words were the worst. For what felt like hours (but only about thirty minutes) we arrived to a two story, up to date house.

Opening the car door, I stepped out of the car and shut the passenger door behind me. The others were already out of the car. Mr. and Mr.s Suzuki were waiting for me to come, but Elizabeth was walking towards the house, slamming the door behind her.

"Welcome home," Mr.s Suzuki said, with a gentle smile.

I just blinked once and walked around the front of the car to Mr.s Suzuki. Her arm wrapped around my shoulders kindly and gently. I just stared down at the ground as I walked to the front door.

Mr. Suzuki opened the door for me and I walked in with Mr.s Suzuki right at my side. The wooden door shut closely behind us. I walked instantly into a large living room with wooden floors and two dark brown (almost black) leather couches, clear, rectangular table with red roses in an excentric, glass vase, a TV stand with a plasma screen TV and a large bookshelf on the far wall with manga, a dictionary and thesaurus, and language books. There was one large window facing the front yard with white and brown curtains.

"This is the living room," Mr.s Suzuki said, "We have many movies, books, and good TV channels for entertainment."

I just nodded barely. Mr.s Suzuki's arm slid off my shoulders, she motioned towards a room on the right.

"And here's the kitchen," she said as we walked into a small room with a dining table and a long couter with a dish washer, several cabinets, a large sing, granite countertops, and a flat-top stove.

"You can get food anytime you wish. We eat dinner together always, and we eat breakfest together except on school days. You are free to get your own lunch whenever you want," Mr. Suzuki said.

Mr.s Suzuki nodded and led me accross the wood floors of the kitchen and to a fairly large porch off the back of the house. Five steps led to the grass on the right and left side of the wooden porch. There was a small round table with four chairs surrounding it.

The backyard was smallish, but it had a trampoline and a few trees. A fence surrounded the sides. I noticed a hole on one of the ends. This gap reminded me instantly of Hiroki's dangerous stunts. Ah...Hiroki. A gust of pain went into my side.

"This isn't much, but it's a porch. We usually sit out here and read a book or something on warm days," Mr.s Suzuki said. She caught my gaze and said, "Oh, that gap. We're fixing that soon."

"No," I whispered, "I like it there."

Mr. and Mr.s Suzuki looked at each other in bewilderment, but Mr.s Suzuki, realizing her rudeness, turned back to me and opened the door. She motioned for me to go back into the house, and I did so. What else was I going to say?

We were in the kitchen once again. Mr.s Suzuki led me through the living room and down a narrow hallway with no windows. Our first door was on the right.

"This is just a closet to hold coats," Mr.s Suzuki said, not bothering to open the closet. We continued on until we reached a few feet later another door on the left.

"This is Mr. Suzuki and my room," she said. She didn't open;however, she continued on down the hall and stopped at the steps on the right.

"Here are the steps to leading upstairs," Mr.s Suzuki said, as she stepped on the first step. There were three long windows with sunlight shining brightly up the spiral steps. At the top, we reached a large room with a queen sized navy blue bed with a soft yellow, large square carpet underneath. The floor was wooden and the walls are soft yellow and white striped. A small dresser was next to the bed with a large mirror hanging over it. A door was at the far left of the room and a large ceiling window sent sunlight into the room. A small desk sat on the far right wall with a red laptop and desk chair with Elizabeth sitting quietly in reading.

"This is Elizabeth's room," Mr.s Suzuki said.

I nodded. Elizabeth paid no attention to our presence.

"And your room is over here," Mr.s Suzuki said, crossing accross Elizabeth's room and entering a bathroom that was all white and perfectly clean. She walked through another door from the bathroom into another room the same size as Elizabeth's. This room was bare and, like Elizabeth's room, it had wooden floors. The room had three long windows, facing the front, sideyard, and backyard.

"It's plain," Mr.s Suzuki said, "But we will go and get you what you like. For the next few days, you can stay in Elizabeth's room. I'm sure she won't mind."

"Ok," I whispered.

"And you can borrow some of her pajamas. We'll go shopping for some clothing for you tomorrow," Mr.s Suzuki promised.

"Ok,' I said, quietly.

"Ok. Well, that's all the house. You can stay up here with Elizabeth or you can come downstairs," Mr. Suzuki said.

"Thankyou, Suzuki-San," I said in a whisper.

"Oh, call me Ryou," Mr. Suzuki said.

"And you may call me Yuna," Mr.s Suzuki said, "We want you to feel at ease here."

"Ok," I siad, with a small nod towards my new guardians.

"If you ever have a problem, don't feel that you can't come to us," Yuna said, soothingly.

I just nodded. Yuna and Ryou left the room for me to be alone. Once they shut the door behind them quietly, I walked towards the window that was facing the front yard. My right hand rested on the glass with my head close. I saw the city buildings standing tall and mighty. High schoolers were just arriving home from school. I sighed at the same time that my eyes closed. Amazing, isn't it? My family is dead and gone. I can't believe it. This reality seems so fake (If only it was) I was such a jerk to them. The last words to them were "I hate you." I said that I hated them and I didn't care if they were to die. How foolish. I was only moving to America. Why must I have to learn this lesson in such a hard way? No one could have this worse than me. Not a single person could have this much pain. For what felt like eternity, I stood there thinking about the last few days. It did not shock me when the door opened, it was more of the voice that made me alert.

"Dinner is ready," Elizabeth said with no emotion.

I looked back, but she was already walking away, her footsteps distancing. I followed her silently and walked down the spiral steps, down the narrow hall, and to the kitchen through the living room. I could smell rice, chicken tofu, and sushi. Sure enough, sitting on the table was everything that I had smelled. Ryou and Yuna sat on the far side of the table with chopsticks in their hands. Elizabeth sat down accross from Yuna. I stuttered but finally sat accross from Ryou. Elizabeth looked back at me and scooted away. Was I really that death looking?

"Thanks for this food," Yuna and Ryou said together perfectly after I sat down.

I reached for a bowl of rice and began eating slowly. No one was eyeing me. Yuna and Ryou were just babbling on and on like anyone would. I would feel at ease if it weren't for Elizabeth's unsteady silence and uneasiness. She was like a silent terrorist. There is no getting away from her. I ate very little and said nothing.

"Are you not hungary, Kisa-Chan?" Yuna asked.

"No, sorry," I said, quietly.

Elizabeth pushed her empty plate away from her and as she stood up, she said, "Waste." She walked away soulessly. I did not gaze her way. Her stares were pure evil for all I knew.

"It's fine. You've had a long day. We understand," Ryou said.

Yuna took my plate gracefully, saying, "If you are hungary later, you can come down and heat this up if you wish."

"Thank-you," I said, looking down at the table and then getting up from the table.

"Before you go, Kisa-Chan," Yuna said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"We need to talk about the Witness Protection Program," Yuna said, pulling out a folder from under the table.

I sat back down and waited patiently for what horrible things about to come.

Yuna opened the folder and said in her own words, "Amane Kisa will from now on be Suzuki Arisu. You'll be age 15. You will start high school at Shogaku High School as a second year student as of next year."

"Shogaku High? That's very expensive," I whispered.

"Very good education," Ryou answered.

"Arisu-Chan, you must not see anyone that you know from before the accident til' we know that you are one hundred percent safe," Yuna said.

"Ok," I said, sighing.

"That's it. It's almost summer. So you don't have to worry about school until after the summer break," Ryou said.

I nodded but remained silent. I walked up the spiral steps where I noticed the setting sun, and I passeed Elizabeth, who was on her laptop. I walked through the bathroom and to my vacant room. My footsteps echoed and as I took each step. I sat in the middle of the floor with my hands in my lap. I knew I sat there for at least two hours. The room was dark with a few city lights shining through the windows. My eyes became heavy from not sleeping for the past two days. I wiped them tiredly and stared blankly towards the front wall.

The bathroom light came on and Elizabeth said behind the closed door, "Unless you're sleeping in there, you need to go to bed now. I won't stand to be woken up on your time."

I sighed and stood to my feet slowly. I opened the bathroom door to see Elizabeth pulling her brushed hair back. She was already in her pajamas, but on the counter were a pair of sweat pants and an oversized red t-shirt that said "Ayu" on it. I said nothing and stood there staring blankly

Elizabeth looked at me annoyed of my very presence. Jeez. On top of everything, I have this person that hates me for being introduced to her. I knew that I looked horrible. My hair was unwashed, my eyes had dark circles under them, and my cheeks were red from crying so much. In other words, I looked like death. I crossed my arms in shyness.

"Don't act all sad," Elizabeth said, "You have no reason." With that, she turned away and shut the door to her room and locked it. I didn't even try to open it. I did not want to be in the same room with her anyways. I might find myself being strangled in the middle of the night or being pushed out the window. Not going to take any chances. And what does she mean about not being sad? Hello!! My family just died!! Jeez. She really needs some theropy.

Turning off the light in the bathroom, I walked into, once again, my bare room. I layed against the wall that was facing the front street and closed my eyes with my right arm as my pillow for the night. What a long day. I have to go shopping tomorrow, too. And the next day would be my funeral. I am going to that funeral. Who'll stop me?

I shivered as the rain chilly rain soaked me from head to toe. Today was the day of my funeral, and I was sneaking out of the house. I had climbed down the side of my house right after I locked my bedroom door. Yes, I am still sleeping in my vacant room, but I had a sleeping bag, several blankets, and a pillow now. Yesterday, I went shopping with Yuna. She got me way too much. We had gotten home very late and I said that most likely I would be sleeping in late. I knew that my funeral was probably in the morning. It's a Saturday, so it would only make sence that it was in the morning and I knew that it was at Okinawa National Cemetary. Finally I found my way out of the neighborhood and into the city. I asked a few people where the cemetary was and they all pointed me into the right direction. When I arrived, I noticed hundreds of graves lined up everywhere than I saw a whole group of people dressed in dark clothing gathered all around together under a green tarp. I didn't recognize any of them. I walked through the crowd, hoping no one would recognize me. I wore a lot of makeup to hide my identity and my hair was crimped from me sleeping in my braids. I had put on a black trench coat, black pants, a pair of gothic gloves, a black shirt, and a pair of high heel black boots that I borrowed from Yuna. I wore a spiked neclace that I knew I'd never wear again and I put in a fake nose ring on the right side of my nose. Furthermore, I glued fake, black tipped nails onto my fingers. No way would anyone imagine me dressed like this, nor would anyone recognize me. I continued to walk past pictures and colages of people who were on the plane. I finally passed my mother's.

There were several pictures of her. I saw a black and white baby picture, her high school picture, there was on in her strapless wedding dress, and then there was one of her taken just recently with her in front of a Baptist church with my dad standing beside her. My dad's pictures were the same as my mom's. He had his baby picture, his high school picture, wedding picture, and another picture of him at the beach holding a fish. Tears moistened my eyes.

I walked on to the next one which was my brothers. He had his baby picture, a picture of him before he went to his middle school, and a picture of him with his friends. I walked to my little sister's, and the tears could not be held back. She had her baby picture, her elementary picture, and her picture at Christmas of last year. I knew that the only family member that I hadn't seen was myself. I walked to my stand. I saw my baby picture, my high school picture, and my picture with all my friends. I looked at my pictures sadly, at my families pictures, and then at mine again. These were the last pictures of my family, and I couldn't even keep them. I noticed that behind the pictures, there were not graves. Of course, there wouldn't be graves. Everyone on that plane is in the Pacific Ocean. Everyone but me.

I noticed a boy walk up beside me with a tears in his eyes. His hair was soaking wet and I knew him right away. Hiroki. I thought twce of turning around to him, but I couldn't. It wasn't safe. I knew that much. Plus, Nami and Ryuichi would think he was seeing things. If I couldn't reveal myself to all three of them, then I can't reveal myself to one of them. I might freak him out. I couldn't just say that I'm alive to tell him good-bye. Him believing I'm dead is a better, less troubling route. I only came here to say good-bye to my family, not see my friends.

Nami came up behind him with a boquet of flowers in her hand. From what I could see through the corner of my eye, I saw her with tears flowing down her face. Never before had I seen her in tears. If I were not Suzuki Arisu and I was Amane Kisa, I would hug her, but life kind of sucks for me right now. Actually, if I were still Amane Kisa living with her family, none of this would have happened, but (again) life sucks.

Hiroki's left shoulder was two inches away from mine ;however, I hid the side of my face with my dark hair to hide my identity.

"We're really going to miss you, Kisa-San," Nami said. She laid the flowers on the ground next to the stand that hung my pictures.

She was crying into Ryuichi's shoulder, but Ryuichi kept a straight face and said, "I wish you were here..." -he broke down in tears- "You always made me smile when you acted clumsy. I'll miss that. We'll visit this stone on speacial days. We promise..."

Hiroki fell to his knees and cried quietly, "Why did it have to be you, Kisa-San? Why did it have to be your plane? ...Kisa..."

"We all will miss you, Kisa-San," Nami said quitely.

Hiroki nodded.

Just like them, I was crying myself. I knew that Nami was staring at me. I knew that she was thinking of to why someone like the way I was dressed would come and visit my grave. She knew that I did not hang out with goths or people who were against everything.

I walked away before I could turn to them and explain everything. I can't explain it. I can't put them in danger. That's how much I loved them. Though I knew the risk, I turned to them, but their red and sorrowful faces were staring at the grave with the most devastated expressions. I bowed to my grave and walked away with no look back.

In a small whisper, I said, "Good-bye." This was more to my friends than to myself for I was technically saying good-bye to Amane Kisa and hello to the new me known as Suzuki Arisu.

It had to be around 10:30 in the morning. Not bad. I ran home as fast as I could in these boots and climbed up the side of the house and into my room. Quckly, I undressed and put on my pajamas. I put my hair back in messy briaids and threw my wet clothes in my closet. I ran into the bathroom and washed off all my makeup with cold water, not noticing Elizabeth putting on her eye shadow. I felt her eyes pierce me intensly.

"I turned to her once my makeup was all off. I hope she didn't notice my damp hair or the makeup I had just washed off.

"You missed your nails," she said as cold as ice.

I looked down at my black, fake nails. Crap.

"If you want to sneak out, be sneaky about it," Eliabeth said, even colder.

"Sneak out? What are you talking about?" I asked dumbly.

"Oh, please. I'm not that stupid, but those people downstairs are. You're lucky," she replied.

"Uh...er...you're not going to tell them?" I asked.

"No, why would I?" Elizabeth asked, coldly.

"Because you hate me," I said.

"I don't hate you. I jsut think you're pathetic," she replied.

"Pathetic?" I asked.

"Yeah," Elizabeth said, "You think that you can whine about everything because your family died. Other people have had worse experiences."

"Eh?" I asked.

"Eh?" she mocked, "Don't "eh" me. Try seeing your family dead in your own house and see every wound they received from being tortured."

"I couldn't imagine that," I said, shaking my head twice.

"See? You are the pathetic one," Elizabeth said.

"You can't judge me," I said, in a whisper.

"Too late," Elizabeth said, turning away and walking into her room.

I walked into my room and went to sleep for at least another few hours. I woke up to midday. Though I had dreams, I couldn't remember them. Not caring, I walked into the bathroom and brushed out my tangled hair. I put on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt saying "Tokyo" in red, bold, English characters. I brushed my teeth and walked through Elizabeth's room down the spiral stairs. It was still raining heavily. I walked through the narrow, long hallway and into the kitchen.

Yuna looked up at me from the counter and smiled, "Good afternoon, Arisu-Chan."

I looked up at her and frowned, "In the house and when we are alone, could you please call me Kisa?"

"Dangerous and risky, but I think we can do so," Yuna said.

Elizabeth looked up from her lunch and stared directly at me with her piercing glare, "You're hair is damp. Go out in the rain?"

What the heck is she trying to do?!

"No," I answered, "I washed my face and some of the water washed into my hair. No big deal."

Yuna ignored us and continued to wipe off the kitchen counters.

Absently, Yuna said, "Kisa-Chan, do you want some lunch?"

"No, thank-you," I said, "I'm not hungary at the moment."

"Ok," Yuna said, "Just come in and get what you want when you wish, ok?"

"Yes, okay. Thank-you," I said.

"We will go and get you some furniture today. Are you up to that? I think that since today is a rainy day, we should go out and get it over with," Yuna suggested, "Plus, you haven't been out of your vacant room since you got here."

Elizabeth choked a little bit. I tensed.

Not noticing the obvious gesture Elizabeth gave, Yuna asked me, "Do you feel up to it?"

"Yes, that would be nice," I said.

"Then we can try to leave in about an hour. I'll give you some time to get your hair dry and get ready," Yuna said.

"Ok, thanks," I said, walking through the living room, through the dark hall, and up to my room. There, I sat in the corner looking up at the ceiling. I had seen Hiroki and the others for the last time. Or at least until Lanette was caught if she were ever caught. Wherever she is, I am wishing death to her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4!

OMG, people! It's here! Chapter 4 is here! This is an exciting chapter! (or so it should be!) I want you all to know that Elizabeth is based off of one of my close friends. You may know her as Wolf218, but I know her in real life as Cait or Caitlyn. (Usually Cait) And my character that is based off me comes soon! XEDDDDDDDDDDD Yay!! And I know the last sentence of this story, too! and I'm already thinking up a sequel. By the way, another fantasy story I wrote is up in my journals. It is known as Princess of Cypress. I have chapter 1 and 2 up. It's my first story that I wrote and I feel that I should prize that! Also, let me tell you a fact that most of you do not know. I thought of As The Sunset Ends the day before I was supposed to fly. And I thought of one of my horror stories about windows when I was looking out a window (I was home alone, too!) and I thought of a shipwreck creation when I was on a ship. Pleasant thouights, huh? LOL Well, I hope you enjoy this!

I woke up to the bright sunlight shining through Elizabeths room shining into my eyes. My arms stretched as I yawned tiredly. I sat up and looked up at Elizabeth's already made bed. Yes, I am sleeping in Elizabeth's room. Well, I have been for the past month. Plus, my furniture hasn't come in, yet. They are so slow. Apparently, when I came back in from the funeral that I was uninvited to, I didn't shut the window all the way and the water flooded my room. I said that I liked the sound of the rain and that the screen must have fallen off. (I had to push it off...) Only Elizabeth and I knew the true answer. Well, I guess the fact that that happened to me was because I snuck out and karma got back at me. Disobeying hasn't worked in my favor, has it?

Well, one good thing came out of this situation. Elizabeth have gotten along a little better. (When I say a little, I mean a little!)

Elizabeth looked down at me obviously annoyed saying, "Stop staring at me like that."

"Eh?" I asked.

"You are in a daze," Elizabeth said, "Get it together."

"Oh, uh, sorry!" I apologized.

"Whatever," Elizabeth said, staring back at her computer desk.

I eyed the pictures on her desk. One of a blonde teenage boy caught my eye. He was smiling and wore a long sleeve black shirt. In the photograph, he was holding Elizabeth on his back. Both of them were smiling with glee.

I got up to my feet and walked over to her desk. I had to find a way to become one of Elizabeth's allies. I have been getting closer over the past month.

"Who's he?" I asked, pointing to the picture.

Elizabeth glanced over at the photograph, "No one," and she set the picture face down.

"No, really, who is he?" I bugged again.

"No one," Elizabeth repeated.

"Please, tell me," I begged.

"Are you really that interested in my life?" Elizabeth asked annoyed.

"Well, uh, I want to get to know you better," I replied.

"And asking me about someone in a picture is going to get you information about me?" she asked, looking up to me.

"Maybe," I said.

"If I tell you, will you shut up?" Elizabeth asked.

"Uh, er, yes," I said. It's worth a shot.

"Fine," she sighed annoyed, closing her laptop and sitting on the bed talking the photograph with her. I sat on the edge of her bed with my legs crossed, ready to listen.

"His name," she began, holding up the picture, "is William Heart. Some people called him William, Willie Heart, Willie, but I called him just simply Will. He lived accross the street from me in America two years ago before I moved here..."

Elizabeth's Point of View

"Come on! Don't make me stab you with a mechanical pencil!" my best friend (Rosalie) said, forcing me into my mother's room.

Rosalie, an average height and skinny girl, has light brown, shoulder length hair with bangs that is straightened and perfected. (Stupid perfectionest!) Her eyes are dark green and her eye lashes are thick but her lips are somewhat thin. Her skin has a natural tan from the long, summer days at the beach. Compared to her, I could be a ghost or the undead.

"Let go of me!" I demanded.

"No," Rose rejected, "Not until you walk in here and look in the long mirror!"

"Why?!" I asked.

She pushed me into my mother's room sending me stumbling on my light blue high heels that Rose forced me to wear. Grabbing my arm and compelling me to the long mirror on my mother's bathroom door. Once in front of the mirror, I turned my head to my stressed out mother, who was sitting on her bed reading a thick file, and begged to her, "Help me!"

My mother gazed up at me just as Rosalie turned my head to the mirror saying, "No, no, no, no! Your reflection is this way."

My eyes slammed shut.

"Open your eyes," Rosalie told me calmly.

"No way!" I rejected.

"Yes way!" Rose said, "Or I will force you to eat leeks."

"Eh?" I asked, my eyes opening, but before I could view my image of myself, my head turned to my best friend.

"Don't "Eh" me! Just look at your reflection. You look so pretty!" Rosalie complimented.

"Yes, you do. It's like viewing a new person," my mother interjected.

"Just look at yourself. A quick glimpse is all you need," Rose said.

"Sure, sure," I said, turning to my reflected image.

My dress was a light blue, spaghetti strap dress that reached just below my knees. My almost brown hair was partially up with a silver and sky blue ribbon. My face was covered in the palest foundation and my eyes were outlined by black eye liner and my eyelids were powdered lightly with light blue, white, and silver eyeshadow. My lips had a light gloss and my neck had a silver heart on it. My nails were trimmed perfectly just as my eyebrows. (Rose is so dead! That was so frikin' painful!)

"See how pretty you are?" Rose asked, grabbing my shoulders and smiling at her success in torturing me.

"I know where you sleep," I said in a threatening voice.

"Come, come!" Rose said, ignoring my threat. She pulled my arm and because of my heels, I had no choice but to go and follow her.

"Ahh! Hey, you wait!" I said, attempting to pull free from her tenacious grasp, but failed nearly tripping.

"Good-bye, Mr.s Grace!" Rose called to my mother.

"Bye, Mom!" I said, "Rosalie, loosen your grip!"

"Not a chance!" Rosalie disallowed.

"You're making me fall," I whined.

"Then fix it," Rosalie replied, approaching the stairs.

Once she took the first step, I said, "I can't go down these stairs! Not with these heels and not with you dragging me like a prisoner!"

"You are a prisoner! Come on! You're going to be late! Remember? You have a date tonight with Josh Bryant," Rosalie reminded me.

"Dragging me like this isn't necessary! You'll make me fall," I told her.

"Fine," Rose said, releasing her grasp.

I rubbed my wrist as she descended down the staircase quickly and gracefully. And she's wearing heels! How can she do that?!

I stepped down on the first step but lost my balance. I tumbled down the stairwell and reached the bottom. I fell on my back on the hard wood floor. Rosalie crouched down next to me with a half concerned half 'I told you so' look on her face.

"You don't need me to make you fall. You can ace that on your own," Rosalie said.

"Shut up," I cried, sitting up, "It's your stupid heels that are the problem."

"Excuses, excuses," Rosalie muttered.

"Can't I just wear flats or something?" I asked.

"You'll be fine. Just get used to it," Rosalie declined, "By the way, Alayna is coming here because my mother is picking us up here. Isn't Josh Bryant coming to pick you up here?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"Then let's wait outside," Rosalie said, "Alayna will be here any minute and Josh will probably be here soon."

"Okay," I said, pulling myself to my feet.

Rosalie opened my front door and walked out with me closely behind. I shut my door and we both sat on my front porch steps in wait.

"Are you excited?" Rosalie asked.

"I guess so," I said.

"You guess?"

"Well, it just seems too good to be true. Josh Bryant is the quarterback of the football team. Out of all the girls at school he chose me-"

"And that's a problem?"

I couldn't answer. When it came to debates, Rosalie always wins. She can prove anything her way. Seriously. She can debate that the sky is purple and get away with it.

"I guess not..." I said, looking out at the road.

"You'll have fun," Rosalie said, as a red honda SUV pulled into the driveway.

A short, skinny Korean girl my age (age 15) stepped out of the car and waved her mother off as the car backed out of the driveway. Her dark brown eyes eyed me and she smiled a smile of humor and success as she walked over to Rosalie and I.

"Alayna, thought you were going to be late. My mom is probably on this road," Rosalie said.

"But I'm here now," Alayna said.

Alayna, my other best friend, is somewhat like Rosalie. They both think the same. It's kind of freaky.

My front door opened with my mother in the doorway.

"Hello, Alayna," my mother said, "I thought I heard a car pull up."

"Hi, Mrs. Grace," Alayna waved.

"Am I driving Rosalie and you to the dance?" my mother asked Alayna.

"No," Rosalie answered, 'My mother offered to pick us up here. She should be here any moment."

"Good, good. That's great. I have a lot of work. These Japanese terrorist attacks are getting worse and worse," my mother mused out loud.

Though I paid no attention to my mom's words, Alayna and Rosalie stiffened.

"The FBI thinks that since I don't have a lot of work I should look into the Japanese cases," my mother said in a stressed voice.

"Wow. That must be interesting," Alayna said.

"Yeah, but someone mentioned this woman that looks like this" she held out a drawing of a petite woman with straight brunette hair and thick lips, 'is probably involved. I don't understand how these people figure out this, but they did and now I have to look into it."

I recognized the woman as Rosalie's mom. That's strange. And she's stiffening as if it were her mom...

Rosalie gazed at the picture then she smiled, "Well, I hope you catch this woman. It's a shame that people are like this. They hold hate towards others for no reason."

"Uh huh," my mother said, "Well, here's your mom. Good-bye, girls."

Rosalie glanced back at her mother's silver acura with a small smile.

"Oh, bye. Good luck, Hollie!" Rosalie said to me. (Yes, my name is Hollie) She ran to the car and sat in the front passenger seat.

Alayna said to me, "Bye! See you there!" She ran to the car and opened the door to the back and got in.

I noticed Rosalie's mom wave to me and through the corner of my eye, I saw my mother smile at Rosalie's mom. Then her mouch turned into a frown just as her forehead creased as she looked down at the drawing. Had she noticed the resemblence?

My mother looked down at me and said, "Have fun. I have some work to do. Call me if anything happens or if you need me, ok?"

"Okay, bye," I said with a small wave.

She nodded as she shut the door and left me alone to wait. I check my cell phone. He should have been here by now. For five long minutes, I waited. My forehead creased as I stood up and walked out to the end of my driveway. What was holding him up? I looked up and down the street as sprinkles of rain began to fall. Not a car was in the distance. Had he ditched me? I knew that this was too good to be true. Of course he ha-

Then a black, long limo came strolling down the street. Poking out of the roof was Josh Bryant himself. My hopes went up as far as they could go. I smiled happily as the limo approached. I was so happy, that I didn't notice the limo not slow down. Within a second the limo past and within that same second, a girl as I know as a complete prep named Paris Grant hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. I noticed that in his left hand was a video camera on record. And right after that, the limo was gone without a trace.

It was too good to be true. Josh Bryant was only playing a cruel joke on me. He didn't like me. I was his next laugh, his next jest. As much as I knew it was true deep inside me, it still hurt. I stared down at the ground in defeat, my arms limp at my sides. The air was becoming cold from the rain, but that didn't matter to me. I ran straight to the only place that gave me peace and sence. Every few houses I passed, I tripped on my own feet. My knees were scratched and so was the bottom of this new dress that had no purpose anymore. I call it the Broken Bridge.

I ran down my road and past a few other streets throwing Rosalie's shoes into my neighbors yard without thinking of them as hers. Barefoot, I ran down the hill that led to the bridge. The old, ruff road below me made my feet ache and bruise each step I took. Right now, the pain did not matter. I continued to run until I got to the bottom of the hill. The rain was beginning to downpour around me. My hair was down and the ribbon that held up some of it had fallen out when I ran. The road ended in a coutasac with water on the other side instead of trees. Accross the narrow river was a courhouse and a smalll, classic hotel. A larger bridge was built to the left with cars making a lot of noise as they passed. To me, the cars were not there. It was only me and my sadness and sorrow. My despair had taken over me. I was full of dread and defeat. Once again, I had no one. Going through my thoughts were so many words that fit me now...

i waiting for something that u will never know...

thinking about something that will never be...

wishing for a dream that will never come true...

shedding tears for no reason, nobody...

all of what you know is a lie...

what can change this existence?

will anyone ever know, find out?

nothing goes as planed...

and as nothing, something comes about...

Can someone or something ever free me from this grasp...

this grasp of darkness, this sheet of which surrounding me...

taking me away from the one thing I wait for...

search for...

wanting to see the truth...

wanting to be pure...

being in cased in darkness...

the darkness of this day will not age...

nothing can be the same...

after its changed...

it cant ever be the same.. ./i

Those words were the truest and described me too well. A blanket of rain soaked me from head to toe as tears streamed down my cheeks. I wanted so badly for someone to care. I wanted so badly for someone to be there for me. I stood in the rain for what felt like hours crying but remaining silent and keeping my thoughts inside myself. A sniper could shoot me in the head and I could care less. Misery was all my body could pulse. Revenge on the person that had dissed me was out of my thoughts. All I could manage to think of was the pain of being hurt again. I looked up at the crying sky. Like the sky, I was crying and sobbing my pain out. Screaming nor throwing something could help this pain. It was forever stuck in my heart just like the horrible past. Every guy, every single guy that I loved thought I was a joke. I was a laughing piece of rubbish to them. I was nothing but a crazy girl who was and will never be accepted by anyone.

My knees were about to give in. Slowly, I began to fall foreward. Crashing into the hard, rock surface of the broken road would not be horrible. At least not right now. My eyes shut, waiting for the pain to arrive through my whole body. Before my knees touched the ground, a warm hand grasped my shoulder, stopping me from my fall.

Two hands steadied me to my feet as I opened my eyes. I looked up to the boy that I have known for a long time. He lived accros the street from me and always waved to me when I walked by. I gazed up at him questioningly. William Heart as I'd known him, stared down back at me, "Are you crazy?"

I did not answer.

"Hello, earth to Mess Grace," he said, shaking me slightly then letting go. I lost my balance and was about to fall back when he caught my elbows and held me straight up.

"Hmm?" I asked dumbly.

"What are you doing out here? It's almost dark and it's pouring down rain and I know that you catch colds easily!" he said to me.

"Oh...well, uh..." I stuttered.

"And I saw what happened to you earlier," Will said in a kind voice, "And that wasn't right."

"What do you care?" I asked, pushing him away from me and walking slowly to the little, metal fence.

"Well, it was wrong," he answered.

"Do you have a video camera or something just to record my misery?" I accused more than asked.

"No, why would I?" he asked.

"Aren't you just like the others?!" I asked, turning abruptly to him with tears streaming down my angered face.

"No," he answered in a near whisper, "Those people are not like me."

"Then what are you?! Their sidekicks!?" I asked almost yelling.

"Don't accuse what you don't know, Miss Grace," Will replied calmly, "Understand that I am not one bit like them. I do not wish to be them, nor do I envy them. They are the ones who envy people such as us."

"Us? And who says you're like me?" I asked sternly.

"As in the people with hearts," he answered.

"I have no heart," I replied, crossing my arms.

"And, yet, you do. From what I know about you, you do have a heart. You just can't keep it in place," Will told me.

"Nonsense," I replied.

"I think not," Will said, "Why must you cry over them?"

"Eh?" I asked.

"Are they worth it? Are they worth your tears?" he asked.

I couldn't answer...but they weren't. Those people that I dislike with so much passion were not worth sobbing over.

"It's what they wanted," Will continued, "They want to see you cry and suffer because they have nothing better for themselves to do."

"So what!" I snapped, "It still hurts."

"They are worthless. They are the insecure ones," Will said.

"Shut up!" I shouted.

"And you are letting them get to you," he continued.

"Shut up!" I demanded, "And, no, I'm not!"

"Then why are you crying? Why are you always showing that you are being hurt?" he asked me.

"I am not showing anything!" I shouted, charging at him with my full speed and power.

Easily, he stopped me and held my fists hand in hand. He leaned in close to me and whispered, "You're better than them."

I looked up at him with calm, questioning eyes.

"Don't let them bother you. They are not worth the troubles,are they?" he asked me in a quiet, calm voice.

My eyes filled with tears as I hugged him. At first he was tense but he hugged me back and patted the top of my back. I sobbed into his shoulder rudely. I knew him, but to randomly hug him is so off the wall for me.

"Sometimes," Will said, "you just need a hug."

We both stood there for a long time silently. Never had I felt someone who cared for me this way. Maybe he is different than the others. William Heart...his last name works for him.

Finally, he let go of me. The day was over. It was dark and still pouring down rain. The cold made me shiver.

"Let's get you home," Will said.

"Uh...I guess so," I whispered.

We turned and walked up the hill and to my house saying nothing to one another. Once I was on my porch, I turned to him before I opened the door.

"Good-Night," he said.

"Good-Night," I whispered, "And thanks."

"Anytime," he said, "A friend doesn't watch his or her friend fall and trip and cry without doing anything."

"Yeah, uh...bye," i said, beginning to open my door.

I heard his footsteps turn away from me and walk into my yard. They stopped and he yelled through the rain, "I'd like to see you again!"

I turned around shocked and asked, "Huh?"

"The Broken Bridge tomorrow at six. Will you come?" he asked.

I nodded and answered, "Yes."

"Alright then," He said as I opened the door and walked into my house, shutting it behind me.

--

Kisa's Point of View

"So romantic," I exclaimed.

"Yeah," Elizabeth said, setting her picture down.

"Did you guys see each other agian?" I asked.

"Yeah, we saw each other every day since then. We always watched the sunset. And when it got cold, he'd bring me some hot tea or cocoa. We'd always watch the sunset, even on rainy days. Sometimes, we'd dance in the rain and we suck at dancing, but because it was just me and him acting retarded, it was the best moment of our lives," Elizabeth answered.

"Did you ever kiss?"

"Eh?"

"Well, did you? Did you?" I was being pushy, but I was interested.

"Pushy, aren't we?" she asked, "Yes, we did. It was kinda wierd though...you see..."

Elizabeth's Point of View

I sat on the large brown blanket that Will had brought and sat crosslegged looking directly at him. We had been seeing each other for about 3 months now. He always cheered me up.

It was January 18th and very frigid. Once he sat down next to me, I hugged him as I looked at the sunset. I looked up at him as he gazed down at me. Our faces grew closer and closer but I stopped just as he and backed away blushing crimson. I'm sure his face was just as red as mine, but I looked down at the ground instead of him.

He grabbed my right hand and held it in his. I looked up at hm and blushed again. He was staring straight into my eyes, making it impossible for me to turn away.

"It's okay," he whispered.

"No," I said, "Why do you like me anyways?"

"Because of you are pretty. You are funny. You are smart. But most of all, I like you because you are you and you won't change for the world," he answered.

Tears swelled in my eyes.

He took my chin in his hands and looked at me. Suddently the world seemed to stop. There was no sound. There was no feeling. The only thing was him. He inched forward and kissed me softly on my lips. A sudden shock of electricity went through my pulse as his warm lips carressed mine. Too soon, he broke away.

--

Kisa's Point of View

"So cute!" I praised.

"Thanks..." Elizabeth said.

"He seems like prince charming!" I said, "And from your other story, Rosalie seems very nice and carring."

"Yeah, right," Elizabeth said through her teeth and then murmered, "Killing a family is so caring!"

"Eh?" I asked. What did she mean? Rosalie killed her family? But she described Rosalie so differently.

"It's getting late," Elizabeth said, "Let's go downstairs before Yuna thinks we're dead."

"Uh..." I hesitated.

"I'm not telling anything more," she said to me, walking out of her room.

I had done it. I had found something out about Elizabeth and I am feeling that I'm getting to know her better! Soon, I'm sure, we'll understand each other. (I hope) And she got her sunset dream...maybe I'll get mine one day. Maybe. But I will figure out Elizabeth. Even though I do not like her so much, I can't stand to watch her be miserable. I will put the puzzle pieces together and figure her out.


End file.
